Kaiser Chiefs

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This article is about the band. For the South African football club, see Kaizer Chiefs Football Club.
Background information
Also known as Parva (old name)
Origin Flag of England Leeds, West Yorkshire, England
Genre(s) Indie rock
Post-punk revival
Art rock
New Wave
Years active 2003 – Present
Label(s) MCA Music, Inc.
B-Unique
Polydor
Drowned In Sound (first single)
Website www.kaiserchiefs.co.uk
Members
Ricky Wilson
Andrew White
Simon Rix
Nick Baines
Nick Hodgson

Kaiser Chiefs are an English new wave rock band from Leeds, formed early in 1997. They were formed by school friends Nick Hodgson, Simon Rix and Nick Baines. They were later joined by Andrew White an art school graduate and Ricky Wilson, who they spotted singing with a Rolling Stones tribute band. Originally they were named Parva. After reinventing themselves as the Kaiser Chiefs in 2003, the band made a strong impact on the British music scene, culminating in winning three Brit Awards for 'Best Group', 'Best British Rock Act' and 'Best Live Act' in 2006.[1] Their debut single, Oh My God was released in 2004. Neither the song or its follow-up, I Predict a Riot gained a notable chart position. The majority of people are unaware that these songs were released prior to the succesful re-issue of Oh My God in 2005. The band also re-issued I Predict a Riot after the increased exposure Oh My God and Everyday I Love You Less and Less brought them.

Their most successful single to date is Ruby which peaked at #1 on February 25, 2007.

Their debut album Employment was released in 2005. A second album, entitled Yours Truly, Angry Mob, was released on February 26, 2007.

Contents

[edit] Name

The band members are known to be hardcore Leeds United fans and have gone out of the way to help their beloved football club on many occasions. They named the band after the South African soccer club Kaizer Chiefs, because Lucas Radebe, a former Kaizer Chiefs player, captained Leeds United A.F.C.. In the process, the spelling was changed.

[edit] Performances

Frontman Ricky Wilson climbs into the crowd at 2006 Oxegen festival, Ireland.
Frontman Ricky Wilson climbs into the crowd at 2006 Oxegen festival, Ireland.

Kaiser Chiefs' first big festival show was at the dual-site Reading and Leeds Festival on 27 August 2004 and in the following year, on 16 May 2005, they appeared at the Pinkpop Festival in Landgraaf, the Netherlands. After that, things went fast. They were the opening act at the Philadelphia Live 8 concert on 2 July 2005, one of only two British acts in the lineup (Def Leppard being the other). They performed "I Predict a Riot", "Everyday I Love You Less and Less" and "Oh My God".

June 2005 saw them headline at the May Ball at Queens' College, Cambridge, before an acclaimed appearance at a rainsoaked Glastonbury Festival during the same month, whilst August's appearance at the V Festival featured a very enthusiastic set despite Ricky Wilson having his leg in plaster. Also more recently they embarked on their own headline UK Tour, supported by Maxïmo Park and The Cribs. Their first US tour (with The Cribs) ran through the summer of 2005, and they followed it by playing a few shows on the Foozer tour. This was followed up by opening for Foo Fighters during their Australian tour in December 2005. They also played to Jools Holland and his audience on December 31, 2005.

2006 was a year with few performances, as the band began to record their new album in August. On March 1, the band played their biggest headline concert ever, in the Heineken Music Hall in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, performing for a crowd of over 5,500. This show was a part of their Europe tour in February and March. In April they played several shows in the UK, followed by festivals in June and July, including Pinkpop, Rock Am Ring and Rock Werchter, and most notably at the Reading and Leeds Festival, taking another opportunity to perform in their home town. They played a number of their greatest hits (to date), including Time Honoured Tradition, Na Na Na Na Naa, Oh My God, Everyday I Love You Less and Less and I Predict a Riot. Late 2006 they did a club tour in Europe, visiting France, Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Spain, Denmark and Greece. On this tour, Kaiser Chiefs performed songs such as Highroyds and Heat Dies Down, which appear on their new album entitled 'Yours Truly, Angry Mob'. Their new single "Ruby" is already getting major airplay on radio stations across the world.

[edit] Discography

[edit] Studio albums

Employment
7 March 2005
#2 (UK); #86 (US); #10(HOL)
Yours Truly, Angry Mob
26 February 2007
#1 (UK);#1(HOL); #1 (GRE); #2 (IRL); #2 (BEL); #6 (GER); #9 (AUS); #45 (FRA)

[edit] Singles

Year Song UK Singles Chart UK Download Chart US Modern Rock Album
2004 "Oh My God" #66 - - Employment
2004 "I Predict a Riot" #22 - - Employment
2005 "Oh My God" (reissue) #6 #2 - Employment
2005 "Everyday I Love You Less and Less" #10 #13 - Employment
2005 "I Predict a Riot" (reissue) / "Sink that Ship" #9 #6 #34 Employment
2005 "Modern Way" #11 #27 - Employment
2007 "Ruby" #1 #1 #19 Yours Truly, Angry Mob
2007 "Everything Is Average Nowadays" - - - Yours Truly, Angry Mob

[edit] Special and international singles releases

  • The Cribs/Kaiser Chiefs split "7 (2005)
  • "You Can Have It All" (limited edition Christmas 7", available only on the Kaiser Chiefs website and restricted to 2000 copies) (2005)
  • Lap of Honour (Japan only EP) (2006)

[edit] Remixes

[edit] Compilations

2006

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Brit Awards 2006: The winners. BBC.co.uk (2006-02-15). Retrieved on 2007-02-19.

[edit] External links

[edit] Official sites

[edit] Fansites

[edit] Photography

[edit] Other sites

Kaiser Chiefs
Ricky Wilson | Andrew "Whitey" White | Simon Rix | Nick Hodgson | Nick "Peanut" Baines
Discography
Albums: Employment | Yours Truly, Angry Mob
Singles: "Oh My God" | "I Predict a Riot" | "Everyday I Love You Less and Less" | "Modern Way" | "Ruby" | "Everything Is Average Nowadays"
DVDs: Enjoyment
Other releases: Lap of Honour | "You Can Have It All"
Related articles
Kaizer Chiefs Football Club | B-Unique Records | Polydor Records | Stephen Street
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